America the Bilingual

Concert pianist Andrew von Oeyen has been learning languages even longer than he's been performing with the world's top orchestras—and he made his professional debut at age 16. In Episode 56 of the America the Bilingual podcast, he explains how his fluency in three other languages infuses his work with greater meaning (and did a lot for his relationships as well).

This is our second of two episodes on what technology can and can't do for language learning…and perhaps more important, what technology should and shouldn't do. Listen as Steve shares the week he spent in Silicon Valley attending the futuristic technology incubator called Singularity University. He had a chance to ask the high priest of language technology, Ray Kurzweil, how he sees the role of high tech in language learning. Ray's answer might surprise you. You'll be listening to the audio version of Chapter 34 of Steve's book, America's Bilingual Century, presented by the award-winning narrator Sean Pratt. Music is “Quasi Motion” by Kevin Macleod at the start of the episode and then “West in Africa” by John Bartmann.

Everyone, it seems, has an opinion on using technology for learning a language. That includes the many bilinguals Steve interviewed for Episode 54 of the America the Bilingual podcast. It's a brief meditation on the merits—and demerits—of language technology. How much should we depend on language technology to talk for us? What are technology's limitations? Or is it just we humans who are limited in our thinking of what technology can do? The role that technology plays in language learning is such a timely and important question that we're devoting two episodes to answering it. Meet the guests you'll hear in this episode, the first of two. Music is “Quasi Motion” by Kevin Macleod at the start of the episode and then “West in Africa” by John Bartmann.

From sea to shining sea, English is spoken throughout all 3.8 million square miles of the US. Does it make sense to speak anything else? To answer this question, in Episode 53, Steve takes you on a tour that starts in Little Rock and ends in Montreal, by way of Casablanca and Mali. Enjoy this seventh free audiobook chapter of America's Bilingual Century by Steve Leveen. You're listening to Chapter 37, narrated by Sean Pratt. Like the music? It's “Quasi Motion” by Kevin Macleod at the start of the episode and then “West in Africa” by John Bartmann.

Want to learn Japanese? Go to Japan. Portuguese? Portugal or Brazil. Hindi? India. Immersion is absolutely the best way to learn another language…or is it? In Episode 52, Steve weighs in, and his answer might surprise you. Enjoy this sixth free audiobook chapter of America's Bilingual Century by Steve Leveen. You're listening to Chapter 36, narrated by Sean Pratt. Music: “Quasi Motion” by Kevin Macleod at the start of the episode, followed by “West in Africa” by John Bartmann.

A middle-aged guy named Steve walks into an intermediate-Spanish class for Harvard undergrads, and does a quick assessment of their advantages versus his. Theirs: They're smarter. They take tests really well. They've had more Spanish. They can hear perfectly fine. They're highly motivated to get good grades. They seem to relish the mental struggle. Steve's: He shows up on time. And it gets better. Like when Steve teams up with one of the students, Josh Robinson, to do an oral presentation in Spanish on Reggaeton. Steve's first question to his teammate: “What's Reggaeton?” The power of perseverance is on humorous display in Episode 51. Enjoy this fifth free audiobook chapter of America's Bilingual Century by Steve Leveen. You're listening to Chapter 27, narrated by Sean Pratt. The music is “Quasi Motion” by Kevin Macleod at the start of the episode, followed by “West in Africa” by John Bartmann.

Are there certain best practices for starting your children on a lifelong path to bilingualism? Absolutely, and in Episode 50, Steve shares the three that are most essential. They can work even if parents are not (or not yet) bilingual. You’ll also meet two families who started their children off as bilingual speakers and one family who wished they had. What caused their paths to diverge? Enjoy this fourth free audiobook chapter of America’s Bilingual Century by Steve Leveen. You’re listening to Chapter 18, narrated by Sean Pratt. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Support for our podcast episodes comes from members of the America the Bilingual Project team, including Caroline Doughty, our audio and digital book maven; Fernando Hernández and his production house, Esto No Es Radio, who provide sound design and mixing; Mim Harrison, our editorial and brand director; Carlos Plaza, our creative director; and Karla Hernandez at Daruma Tech, who manages our website. Meet the entire America the Bilingual team—including our bark-lingual mascot, Chet—here. Like the music? It’s “Quasi Motion” by Kevin Macleod at the start of the episode and then “West in Africa” by John Bartmann. We invite you to follow America the Bilingual on Facebook, along with the Lead with Languages campaign run by our friends at ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

In Episode 49 of the America the Bilingual podcast, Steve introduces seven bilinguals whose new language came alive for them when they found where in their lives it should live. Lorna Auerbach is one of them. She had struggled as a young student trying to learn a second language. But later, as an adult, she blossomed when she connected her “where” to the work she was passionate about—and found the language that she really wanted to learn. Father Chuck Durante is another. A Catholic priest, he had abandoned his plans to minor in Spanish when he was in college. But when he joined the seminary, he had the motivation he needed: his future parishioners. You’ll also hear about leading international correspondents and authors Anand Gopal and Evan Osnos, who knew that the only way to truly get the story was to first get the language. Calvin Sims, a longtime overseas correspondent for The New York Times, also became fluent in both Spanish and Japanese for just this reason. And his bilingualism has taken him beyond the Times, to two other unexpected “wheres”—International House in New York City, and CNN Worldwide. Enjoy hearing this audiobook chapter of America’s Bilingual Century by Steve Leveen. You’re listening to Chapter 17, narrated by the award-winning Sean Pratt.

If how you’re going to learn a new language is the first question you consider on your bilingual journey, Steve has a surprise for you. In Episode 48, he reveals an even more important question to ask yourself about that new language—before you decide how you’ll learn it. It’s one of the pivotal lessons Steve learned when researching his book, America’s Bilingual Century, and he thanks Guadalupe Valdés, a professor at Stanford, for enlightening him. Enjoy this second audiobook chapter of America’s Bilingual Century. You’re listening to Chapter 1, narrated by Sean Pratt. Like the music? It’s “Quasi Motion” by Kevin Macleod at the start of the episode and then Johh Bartmann's "West in Africa".

In Episode 47, Steve shares why he decided in midlife to leave behind a comfortable career as CEO of his own company and light out for the long road to bilingualism. Enjoy this first free audiobook chapter of America’s Bilingual Century, the new book by Steve Leveen. You’re listening to the preface of the book, narrated by Sean Pratt. Then check out the story on Sean, and why this award-winning audiobook narrator was so taken with Steve’s book. He’ll also show you how he marked up the text of the preface, to turn the written words into spoken words. You'll find it on the Articles page of America the Bilingual. The music you’ll hear is “Quasi Motion” by Kevin Macleod at the start of the episode and then “West in Africa” by John Bartmann.

Winter may be coming, but next summer is not that far behind. Start planning now if you’d like to send your kids—or yourself!—to a summer language immersion camp. In Episode 46 of the America the Bilingual podcast, we give you capsule reports on five top programs we’ve featured in earlier episodes, plus a brand-new report on a different kind of camp in South Florida.

Since October is Bilingual Child Month, we are rebroadcasting our America the Bilingual podcast on the status of bilingual education among deaf children. What happens when their parents aren’t able to find schools that teach American Sign Language—and why can’t they? The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Mim Harrison, the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project, and edited by Fernando Hernández, who also does the sound design and mixing. Steve Leveen is the executive producer and host. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Rob Kennedy, Alejandro Capriles and the rest of the team at Daruma Tech power our website. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Caroline Doughty is our social media maestro. Meet the America the Bilingual team—including our bark-lingual mascot, at americathebilingual.com Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

October is Bilingual Child Month, a good reason to revisit one of the country’s major success stories in bilingual education for children. Their secret? Start kids early, use a broad definition of biliteracy, and give every school district the power to pick the languages. Meet some of the powerhouse educators behind North Carolina’s impressive rise in bilingual schools, in Episode 42 of the America the Bilingual podcast: https://www.americathebilingual.com/42-north-carolina-a-dual-language-success-story/. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Mim Harrison, the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project, and edited by Fernando Hernández, who also does the sound design and mixing. Steve Leveen is the executive producer and host. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin, who studied at Wake Forest with Mary Lynn Redmond. The team at Daruma Tech powers our website. Our Social Media Maestro is Caroline Doughty. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Meet the America the Bilingual team—including our bark-lingual mascot, on Americathebilingual.com Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

For anyone older than 20 who's learning a language, the all-new Episode 45 of the America the Bilingual podcast is one you won't want to miss. We tapped a slew of global language teachers and asked them for their best tip on learning a language as an adult. In the podcast, you’ll hear their advice—sometimes based on their own experience of learning another language when they were older. You'll also find a handy way to remember all the wisdom they impart. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Mim Harrison. Fernando Hernández is the Podcast Editor. Our Social Media Maestro is Caroline Doughty. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Beckie Rankin is associate producer of the podcast. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together. If you like this episode, please share with a friend and subscribe on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. And check us out on Facebook. We’d love to hear from you.

Here’s a fact you don’t hear talked about much: 25% of Latinos don’t speak Spanish--because they can’t. And that percentage is growing. Hear Ed’s story set against the backdrop of the forces that are drowning out Spanish and other heritage languages in America. And hear what some dedicated language teachers are doing to promote a healthy bilingualism among young people. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, and producer Fernando Hernández, who also does sound design and mixing. Associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Mim Harrison is the editorial and brand director for the America the Bilingual project

Summer Light Listening: “In case you thought Latin was dead…”Seriously? A podcast about Latin is supposed to be summer light listening? We promise, this one is. There’s not even a whisper about the subjunctive. But there’s sure to be a smile when you hear how one high school Latin teacher, who’s constantly teased with the question, “Learn Latin? Who you gonna talk to—the Pope?,” can answer: “As a matter of fact, yes.” Enjoy this rebroadcast of Episode 23 of the America the Bilingual podcast. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Mim Harrison and edited by Fernando Hernández (who also does our sound design and mixing). Check out the rest of our cast at America the Bilingual-dot-com, including Carlos Plaza, Beckie Rankin, and especially our bark-lingual mutt, Chet. Music in this episode was with a Creative Commons Attribution License by: Kevin Macleod - Quasi Motion https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion The rest of the music is licensed from Epidemic Sound.

El mundo es un pañuelo, goes the Spanish dicho, or saying. It translates literally to “The world is a handkerchief.” A handkerchief is small, and so is the world. See where this is going? Right—to a more colorful way of saying “It’s a small world.” In Episode 10 of the America the Bilingual podcast, Steve exchanges dichos with two Mexican friends. Every language has these pithy sayings, and they’re a memorable way to not only learn some words in the language you’re studying, but also get a glimpse into that language’s culture. This is summertime fun masquerading as learning, so we’re rebroadcasting the episode as part of our Summer Light Listening series. The America the Bilingual Podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Check out our episode notes at Americathebilingual.com. Special thanks to Mario Bravo for his mastery of dichos (sayings) and his love of his native language. This special edition episode was hosted by Steve Leveen and co-hosted and produced by Fernando Hernández, who also does sound design and mixing. Associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Editorial consultants are Mim Harrison and Maja Thomas. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution Share a like License by (in order of appearance): Kevin Macleod - Quasi Motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita Lee Rosevere - More on that later http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later Art of Escapism - Little by little

Summer has its own movie theater allure, rainy-afternoon matinees being just one. Why not take in a few films this summer in a language you’d like to learn…even if it’s not raining? Steve will share with you how he’s done it in learning Spanish, starting with just dipping his toe in to diving right in. You can pick the immersion point that works best for you. Enjoy this rebroadcast of our America the Bilingual podcast, Episode 33, part of our Summer Light Listening series. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was hosted by Steve Leveen, and co-hosted and produced by Fernando Hernández, who does the sound design and mixing as well. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Mim Harrison is the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Meet the team—including our bark-lingual mascot, Chet—here. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

We hope you’re enjoying your summer. At America the Bilingual, we’re taking a summer break from our podcast routine while Steve works on his new book about bilingualism in America. While he does that, we thought we’d rebroadcast a few of our podcasts that you might not have heard, or might like to hear again. This one, Episode 27, marks the first in our Summer Light Listening series. In it, we show you how learning another language doesn’t always mean studying it in a classroom. It’s summer, after all. Plus, enjoy these free tips on how adults can learn another language almost as well as kids. Click here: https://pages.convertkit.com/b42fb897dc/228b3c564b Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. You can find his work at: freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_ma…r/quasi_motion

To mark this Independence Day, we’re rebroadcasting our podcast on “American Outliers.” It tells a modern immigrant family’s tale and their success in coming to America, professionally but also linguistically. Both parents and both sons speak English plus four other languages. How did they succeed in becoming a two-generation, multilingual American household? Meet the Roepers and hear their story in Episode 8 of the America the Bilingual podcast. Happy Fourth of July from all of us at America the Bilingual! Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution License by: Kevin Macleod - Quasi motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita Lloyd Rogers, with the Cartesian Reunion Memorial Orchestra -Draw me a sheep (Act I) http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lloyd_Rodgers/Cartesian_Reunion_Memorial_Orchestra_the_little_prince-a_ballet_in_two_acts/01-Draw_Me_A_Sheep Lee Rosevere – More on that later http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later Lee Rosevere - Not alone http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_10_Not_Alone Lee Rosevere - What’s behind the door http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_13_Whats_Behind_the_Door Lee Rosevere - Vaping in L.A. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_12_Vaping_in_LA

In the west African country of Cameroon, it’s not unusual for youngsters playing a neighborhood game of soccer to encounter different languages among their friends. And throughout Africa, it’s not uncommon for people to speak three languages—even if they don’t write or read all three. How do they do it? And what can the United States learn from this continent of polyglots? Host Steve Leveen talks with three African educators on how they grew up the way many Africans do: speaking multiple languages. Hear their conversation now: Episode 44 of the America the Bilingual podcast.

None of us can master every language, but we can all learn phrases that extend a symbolic hand in greeting and say, “To show I respect you, and therefore your language, I’ll try to speak a few words of it.” No matter how poor the result linguistically, you’ve often made a friend. And thus, a bud of bilingualism blooms. In Episode 43 of the America the Bilingual podcast, we’ll hear how some native English-speaking Americans practice buds of bilingualism everywhere they go in the world…including their own backyards.

In 2005, North Carolina had seven dual-language schools; in 2018, there were 140. A 2018 graduating class at one of the dual-language high schools had two valedictorians—one a native Spanish speaker and the other a native English speaker, both now fluent in the other’s native tongue. How did North Carolina do it? Can their success be replicated? And are the number of dual-language schools outpacing the number of bilingual teachers needed for them? In Episode 42 of America the Bilingual, host Steve Leveen talks to six high-ranking educators on how North Carolina became a powerhouse of dual-language education. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Mim Harrison, the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project, and edited by Fernando Hernández, who also does the sound design and mixing. Steve Leveen is the executive producer and host. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin, who studied at Wake Forest with Mary Lynn Redmond. The team at Daruma Tech powers our website. Our Social Media Maestro is Caroline Doughty. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Meet the America the Bilingual team—including our bark-lingual mascot, Chet—here. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

This fifth episode in our series on some of the finest summer language immersion programs takes us to Université Sainte-Anne in the tiny village of Church Point, Nova Scotia. A French immersion summer program, it is Canada’s most popular and attracts many students from the United States as well. In Episode 41 of the America the Bilingual podcast, hear how this school’s small size works to its advantage, and why many students claim to learn more in five weeks here than in five years of classes elsewhere. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, the founder of America the Bilingual, and edited by Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing. Mim Harrison is the editorial and brand director for the America the Bilingual project. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Caroline Doughty is our social media maven. Beckie Rankin is the podcast’s associate producer. Daruma Tech powers the website. Meet the team—including our bark-lingual mascot, Chet at Americathebilingual.com Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

What if young hearing children in America were never taught how to spell or properly pronounce words? That’s what’s happening to many of the children in America who cannot hear. They do not have the same access to the language of the deaf—American Sign Language, or ASL—that their hearing counterparts have to English. In Episode 40 of America the Bilingual, we interview experts from Gallaudet University and the National Association of the Deaf, along with a college student who’s majoring in ASL, on how they’re working to change this. Special note: if you’d like to share this podcast with deaf friends or colleagues, contact us through americathebilingual.com and we’ll send a transcript. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Mim Harrison, the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project, and edited by Fernando Hernández, who also does the sound design and mixing. Steve Leveen is the executive producer and host. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Rob Kennedy, Alejandro Capriles and the rest of the team at Daruma Tech power our website. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Caroline Doughty is our social media maestro. Meet the America the Bilingual team—including our bark-lingual mascot, at americathebilingual.com Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

What could be a better example of free speech in America than to be able to speak freely in public in another language? And when it comes to patriotism, what could be more patriotic than defending our country by actually being able to understand our allies, and our enemies, in their own languages? To help envision such a new normal in America, we take you to a country that shows how a linguistically diverse nation can function. Come with us as America the Bilingual goes to Morocco, in Episode 39 of our podcast. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, the founder of America the Bilingual, and edited by Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing. Mim Harrison is the editorial and brand director for the America the Bilingual project. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Caroline Doughty is our social media maestro. Beckie Rankin is the podcast’s associate producer. Daruma Tech powers the America the Bilingual website. Special thanks to the ALI colleagues I traveled with to Morocco, including: Ken Creary and Lauren States, Bob Heckart, Lisa Claudy Fleischman and Chuck Fleischman, Ken and Lisa Kelley, Judy Perry Martinez and Rene Martinez, Eduardo Elejalde and Maria Teresa, Winifred White Neisser and Ken Neisser, Michael and Laurie Pepe, Jim and Karen Sherriff, Deborah Hannam and John Donovan, Peter Holbrook, Denis Weil, Horst Melcher, Susan and Len Miller, and Louise and Tom Middleton. A special shout-out to Ken Creary and my wife, Lori, for their photography. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together. Let us know what you think If you like this episode, please share with a friend and subscribe on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. And let us know what you think: leave a comment on our Facebook page about this episode, or on any other thoughts you have about bilingualism in America. We love hearing from our listeners!

On September 11, 2001, the value of knowing another language was probably the last thing on the minds of most Americans. But 9/11 revealed another fissure in this country’s infrastructure: the thousands of jobs going unfilled in our intelligence agencies because not enough Americans speak the language of the countries these agencies must understand. The Department of Defense has done something about it, funding a summer program throughout the country to teach what it identified as critical-need languages. Called STARTALK, the program is the reason why some Americans now speak Russian, Korean, Arabic and Urdu. In Episode 38 of America the Bilingual , host Steve Leveen talks with teachers and students who are strengthening America’s linguistic infrastructure through STARTALK

In our continuing series of dual language summer immersion programs, in Episode 37 of the America the Bilingual podcast, we learn what it means to “live the language” at Concordia Language Villages—from learning opera in Italian, soccer in German, volleyball in Spanish, and French while waltzing with mops. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, and edited by Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing. Associate Producer Beckie Rankin provided her fine field work, as always. Mim Harrison is our editorial and brand director for the America the Bilingual project. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Caroline Doughty is our social media maven. Daruma Tech powers the website. Meet the team—including our bark-lingual mascot, Chet—at Americathebilingual.com Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Special thanks to Dr. David Knutson, professor of Spanish at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio; and to my wife, Lori, who traveled with me to Concordia and witnessed Waltzing with Mops. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together. If you like this episode, please share with a friend and subscribe on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. And please join our email list, so we can let you know about our upcoming episodes.

The summer language immersion program that Professor John Rassias founded at Dartmouth College is famous worldwide for showing results in as little as 10 days. But now that this larger-than-life language visionary has passed away, can his legacy—and his method—live on? Join us for Episode 36 of America the Bilingual, “A Tidal Wave of Love: The John Rassias Legacy,” as we journey to New Hampshire to find out. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written and produced by Steve Leveen, and edited by Fernando Hernández, who also does the sound design and mixing. Mim Harrison is the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin, who provided ace background research, as always. Rob Kennedy, Alejandro Capriles and the rest of the team at Daruma Tech power our website. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Meet the America the Bilingual team—including our bark-lingual mascot, Chet—here. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

World War I shattered a way of life for millions. But one positive result, invented by a German-American immigrant, continues to deliver blessings to Americans today. Almost no one knows her name or her story, but the peacemaking legacy of Lilian L. Strobe, today called summer language immersion experiences, is the subject of Episode 35 of America the Bilingual: The Magic of Middlebury. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen and edited by Fernando Hernández. Mim Harrison is our editorial and brand director for the America the Bilingual project. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Special thanks to Wayne Welch and Lois Kaufmann. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together. If you like this episode, please share with a friend and subscribe on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening. For America the Bilingual, this is Steve Leveen.

Jenny K. Messner credits the high school cultural exchange program of AFS with transforming her life. Living in Brazil for a year in the 1970s, Jenny learned a new culture, became fluent in Portuguese, and parlayed her language skills into a career in international finance. Then she found a way to help hundreds of other young American bilinguals-to-be follow in her path. But would she let her own daughter venture so far from home in today’s world? Hear Jenny’s story in Episode 34 of America the Bilingual. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Special thanks from Steve to Marlene Baker and the rest of the staff at AFS-USA. This episode was written by Mim Harrison, the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project, and produced by Fernando Hernández, who does the sound design and mixing as well. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Meet the America the Bilingual team—including our bark-lingual mascot, Chet— at Americathebilingual.com Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

Movies, especially with the help of new streaming services and à la carte language options, offer a virtual language immersion where you can choose how far to wade in. In Episode 33 of America the Bilingual, we’ll venture into the four stages of movie immersion—from just dangling your toe to diving in head first. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was hosted by Steve Leveen, and co-hosted and produced by Fernando Hernández, who does the sound design and mixing as well. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Mim Harrison is the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Meet the team—including our bark-lingual mascot, Chet—here. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

Listen to Steve’s conversation with octogenarian Bill Davis, whose bilingualism was essential to an unexpected—and rewarding—life after World War II. Bill describes what it was like to hide in the mountains during the Second World War to escape the enemy, all the while loving the language of the enemy. Years later, he had another, very different escape… from a future American president. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL—The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Special thanks from Steve to Sylvette Jouclas, Bill’s wife, for graciously welcoming him into their home this summer. This episode was written by Mim Harrison, the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project, and produced by Fernando Hernández, who does the sound design and mixing as well. The associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. You can find it on this link: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

Your host Steve Leveen calls from France to talk a little bit about upcoming episodes where we'll explore language immersion camps, and the term "buds of bilingualism" that he coined.

What older generations may remember from their language classes—drills of verb conjugations, constant corrections of grammar and sentence structure—is not what they’ll find in many global-language classes today. What we’ll hear in “Not Your Uncle’s Language Class,” Episode 31 of the America the Bilingual podcast, may shock many of us old-schoolers: Global-language teachers are no longer looking for perfection from their students! The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Many of the educators you heard from in this episode are current or former board members of ACTFL, including Bill Anderson, Susann Davis, Desa Dawson, Lisa Lilley Ritter, and Toni Tyson. This episode was written by Mim Harrison, the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual project. Our producer is Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. https://exit.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffreemusicarchive.org%2Fmusic%2Fkevin_macleod%2Fglobal_sampler%2Fquasi_motion Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together. Keep connected on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for listening. For America the Bilingual, this is Steve Leveen.

Among the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, there are fewer than 200 first-language speakers of Cherokee . In Episode 30 of America the Bilingual, you’ll hear from people, both Cherokee and non-Cherokee, who are finding ways to embed the Cherokee language in classrooms and music, giving rise to a new generation of Cherokee speakers in the process. But is it too late? Join us for Episode 30, "A New Generation of Cherokee Speakers Rises." The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Mim Harrison. Our producer is Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing, and our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Be sure to check our writeup of this episode on America the bilingual-dot-com, for more on the Cherokee and their language. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Check his work at: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

When Viviana Cisniega’s son Luis was four months old, she taught him to talk—not in English, not in her native Spanish, not even by speaking. Instead, she taught her son some American Sign Language, the physical language of the deaf. For a number of years, some very young hearing babies have learned a few of the signs in ASL, as a way to successfully talk with their parents and caregivers before they begin to speak. But how do members of the deaf community feel about using ASL for infants who can hear? Find out in Episode 29 of the America the Bilingual podcast. This episode was written by Mim Harrison, brand and editorial director for the America the Bilingual project. Our producer is Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing. Associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Our Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. The host is Steve Leveen. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. You can find his music here: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

When people find out I’m learning Spanish, they frequently ask me, “How are you doing it?” It’s an obvious question. But over the years I’ve discovered that it’s not the best question. A better one is “What are you doing with your language?” For when you can answer that question, you have discovered a place, or places, where your adopted language can live in your life. That, as we’ll hear in this episode, makes all the difference. This episode was written by me, Steve Leveen. Our producer is Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing, and our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. Kevin Macleod also performs "Take me out to the ball game". You can see information for both tracks here: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcwZIHMfWyA Our thanks to Epidemic Sound for helping us make beautiful music together.

When people find out I’m learning Spanish, they frequently ask me, “How are you doing it?” It’s an obvious question. But over the years I’ve discovered that it’s not the best question. A better one is “What are you doing with your language?” For when you can answer that question, you have discovered a place, or places, where your adopted language can live in your life. That, as we’ll hear in this episode, makes all the difference. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen. Our producer is Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing. Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Support for the America the Bilingual project comes from the Levenger Foundation. Music in this episode, “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. You can find his work at: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion

Even at 16 we may be too old to learn a new language and speak it without an accent. So what about us adults over 50? Should we even bother trying? Hear longevity expert Laura Carstensen debunk some common assumptions. And hear the story of one intrepid fifty-something language learner who refuses to give up on her efforts to become a bilingual—and to reduce global greenhouse gases, which for her are related quests. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, and our producer, Fernando Hernández (who also does our sound design and mixing). Check out the rest of our cast at America the Bilingual-dot-com, including Beckie Rankin, Carlos Plaza, Mim Harrison, and our bark-lingual pup, Chet. Our main musical theme is “Quasi motion”, By Kevin Macleod, under a Creative Commons Attribution License. You can find more of his work here: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/ Financial support comes from the Levenger Foundation. Our thanks to Susan Golden, Jason Martin, Roch Hillenbrand, Phil Pizzo and the Stanford DCI staff Thanks for listening, for America the Bilingual, this is Steve Leveen.

In this second episode on the dual-language movement, we hear from six voices of change in America. They trace their heritages to different countries and have had different life experiences, but they share a common vision for America. They would place our old melting pot respectfully in a museum of American history. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen and producer Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing. Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Music in this episode, “Quasi motion” by Kevin Macleod, was used with a Creative Commons Attribution License. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion

Imagine there was a new way of teaching that results in most students becoming truly bilingual and biliterate before finishing high school. Imagine if this new way of teaching also helped students rise in academic achievement overall. And finally. imagine if this new way of teaching could also help students develop more empathy towards others. We don’t have to just imagine it, it exists. It goes by the name dual-language education. or dual-language immersion, and it’s growing fast in America. In Part I of our coverage of dual-language education, we hear from two luminaries in the field who explain what it’s about and how it got started—not at the national level, but at the state level. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen and Producer Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing. Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Music in this episode was with a Creative Commons Attribution License by: Kevin Macleod - Quasi Motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion The rest of the music is licensed from Epidemic Sound.

How has a presumably dead language become such a disruptor? Because Latin certainly seems to be just that. It’s one of the most frequently taught languages in American schools. It’s a language that few speak and yet can help people think. And it’s been shown to be effective in strengthening English literacy. Who knew? In this episode, you’ll meet two Latinists who make their living by teaching the language, and one who makes his living by allowing Latin to teach him. The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Mim Harrison and edited by Fernando Hernández (who also does our sound design and mixing). Check out the rest of our cast at America the Bilingual-dot-com, including Carlos Plaza, Beckie Rankin, and especially our bark-lingual mutt, Chet. Music in this episode was with a Creative Commons Attribution License by: Kevin Macleod - Quasi Motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion The rest of the music is licensed from Epidemic Sound.

We're back with Season 2 of America the Bilingual! We open with this episode that features two stories of how people reconstruct themselves in a new language and how through that process, they can sometimes discover and express important new aspects of themselves that can be liberating. America the Bilingual is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Fernando Air-nandez, who also does our cool sound design and mixing. Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Check out the rest of our cast at America the Bilingual dot com, including Mim Harrison, Maja Thomas, Carlos Plaza, Daruma Tech and especially our mascot Chet. The main theme music of this podcast is “Quasi motion” by Kevin Macleod, under a Creative Commons Attribution License. You can find his music here: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/kevin_macleod/global_sampler/quasi_motion

As we close Season One of America the Bilingual, we are filled with gratitude for the hundreds of interviewees—teachers, scholars, and bilinguals of all types. Thank you for answering our incessant questions and adding your voices to our first 20 episodes. We will resume our schedule with Season Two on March 28th, 2018. In the meantime, we’re in production on a dozen new episodes, including: How Monolingual English-speaking Parents Can Raise Bilingual Children, Latin in the 21st Century and How to Learn a Language by Not Studying It. A Request Dear listeners, we’re hungry for stories. Write to us at America the Bilingual and let us know your language story—your language biography, as we call it. Among other stories, we’re looking to hear from people who became bilingual as adults—how did you do it? And why? We’re looking forward to hearing from you. And our heartfelt thanks to you, listeners, for being with us for our first season. Thank you for listening, for telling your friends, and for helping to spread bilingualism across America. Credits: America the Bilingual is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The programs are written by Steve Leveen, and our producer, Fernando Hernández (who also does our cool sound design and mixing). Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Check out the rest of our cast, including Mim Harrison, Carlos Plaza, Daruma Tech, and especially our mascot, Chet. Maja Thomas is editorial consultant. Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License by (in order of appearance): Anonymous420 - Mouse Compatible http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Anonymous420/Nostalgia/Anonymous420_-_Nostalgia_-_06_Mouse_Compatible Komiku -Fouler l'horizon http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/Its_time_for_adventure_/Komiku_-_Its_time_for_adventure_-_01_Fouler_lhorizon Loyalty Freak Music - People are spinning http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Loyalty_Freak_Music/TO_CHILL_AND_STAY_AWAKE/Loyalty_Freak_Music_-_TO_CHILL_AND_STAY_AWAKE_-_06_People_are_spinning Kevin Macleod - Quasi motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion

It’s a gift that can’t go under the tree, it can’t even be seen, but it’s one of the best gifts in life. It is, of course, the gift of bilingualism. We’ve reported on this gift many times in our first 19 episodes of this premier season of the America the Bilingual podcast. Our gift to you this Christmas season is a collection of 12 ways to experience this gift . We’re featuring excerpts from some of our favorite podcast moments of the year. Join us as we unwrap the 12 Gifts of Bilingualism. Perhaps it will inspire you to give, or receive, The Gift yourself. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, and our producer, Fernando Hernández (who also does our sound design and mixing). Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Mim Harrison is the America the Bilingual editorial and brand director Carlos Plaza is our design director; and Chetley von Mutt is our bark-lingual mascot. Our editorial consultant is Maja Thomas. Special thanks to all our guests who have appeared on America the Bilingual podcasts this year—we are toasting you this holiday season. Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License by (in order of appearance): Mystery Mammal - The first Noel http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mystery_Mammal/Xmas_on_Tape/The_First_Noel_1206 Kevin Macleod - Quasi motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion Lee Rosevere - What's behind the door http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_13_Whats_Behind_the_Door Chris Zabriskie - I should have been more human http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chris_Zabriskie/Music_from_Neptune_Flux/ChrisZabriskie-MusicfromNeptuneFlux-09 Frederic Lardon feat Laura Palmeé http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Frederic_Lardon_feat_Laura_Palme/Jazz__la_cool_pour_les_vacances_sur_la_plage_ou__la_montagne_1678/Frederic_Lardon_feat_Laura_Palme_-_Jazz__la_cool_pour_les_vacances_sur_la_plage_ou__la_montagne_-_01_Dans_la_piscine_1244 Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita Mark Castle - Sad Xmas http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mark_Castle/Sad_Xmas_Single_Radio_Edit/Sad_Xmas_Radio_Edit_1561 Mindseye - Let it snow http://freemusicarchive.org/music/MindsEye/Let_it_snow/MindsEye_-_Let_it_snow Mystery Mammal - O come all ye faithful http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mystery_Mammal/Xmas_on_Tape/O_Come_All_Ye_Faithful_1466

Americans remember World War I, but most of us have forgotten the war within our own borders that took place during those same years. It was a war against all things German-American, including the teaching of the German language. Our internal war was so violent, destructive and cruel, that as soon as the war in Europe ended, Americans were quick to sweep what happened under the rug. The lynchings, internment camps and book burnings are not mentioned in our history textbooks. But on the centenary of that forgotten homeland war, the results linger with us still. America the Bilingual is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by Steve Leveen and our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our cool sound design and mixing). Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Check out the rest of our cast at America the Bilingual dot com, including Mim Harrison, Maja Thomas, Carlos Plaza and especially our bark-lingual mutt, Chet. Special thanks to Michelle van Gilder of the Lead with Languages campaign and Kristen Gillet, who sang us into this episode. Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License by: (in order of appearance) Kevin Macleod, Jorge Mario Zuleta, Rafael Archangel, Francisco Penilla and Lee Rosevere,

Bill Weir, travel correspondent and host of CNN Wonder List has his dream job. He gets to jet all over the world to capture images and weave stories together from what he finds. It’s all perfect, except for one thing--Bill is monolingual. “I wish I could travel back in time and punch my teenage self in the face for not paying attention. I was one of those horrible language students who didn't figure I would ever need it.” He seems an odd choice to address thousands of language teachers at their annual convention. But Bill is full of praise for the teachers helping today’s American teens gain their multilingual chops, including one special teacher Bill met in the green room before she went on stage--Ying Jin. She had just won National Language Teacher of the Year--the first Chinese teacher to do so. In this episode, we’ll take you behind the scenes with Bill and Ying to hear what they hope for America. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our cool sound design and mixing) and our Francofile French Teacher and associate producer, Beckie Rankin. Check out the rest of our cast at America the Bilingual dot com, including our brand and editorial director Mim Harrison, editorial consultant Maja Thomas, design director, Carlos Plaza and finally last and least, our bark-lingual mascot, Chet. Special thanks to Marty Abbott, Michelle van Gelder and Erin Well cher of the Lead with Languages campaign, as well as all the teachers and administrators who came by to be interviewed; we’ll hear their voices in future episodes. Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license by (in orden of appearance): Hank - Dark Country http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Hank/AckrillVenning_91/Dark_Country Kevin Macleod - Quasi motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion Jason Shaw - Travel light http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Shaw/Audionautix_Acoustic/TRAVEL_LIGHT______________________1-53 Jason Shaw - Wheels http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Shaw/Audionautix_Acoustic/WHEELS_________________3-30 Mystery Mammal - Foreign Produce http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mystery_Mammal/Latent/Foreign_Produce_1368

Paulina Jedrzejowski was five years old when two airliners slammed into the World Trade Center. She was just a few miles away in Brooklyn and wondered why ashes and bits of paper were floating down from the sky. Despite growing up in an America with a heightened concern for attacks from the outside, Paulina has devoted her young life to helping outsiders. She has lived in several other countries and learned their languages. Hear her story, and the story of a promising trend in America in which young people are redefining what their parents called a “gap” year, into something far more meaningful. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, our producer Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing, and our associate producer, Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license by (in orden of appearance): Demoiselle Döner - Rien n'a vraiment changé http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Demoiselle_Dner/Dcapitation_de_lHydre_Alpha/Demoiselle_Dner_-_Dcapitation_de_lHydre_Alpha_-_05_Rien_na_vraiment_chang Kevin Macleod - Quasi Motion https://exit.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffreemusicarchive.org%2Fmusic%2FKevin_MacLeod%2FGlobal_Sampler%2FQuasi_Motion Francisco Penilla - Chicle Bombita https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita Nctrnm - Friction http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Nctrnm/ACUERDO/Friction111Bm Lee Rosevere - More on that later https://exit.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffreemusicarchive.org%2Fmusic%2FLee_Rosevere%2FMusic_for_Podcasts_4%2FLee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later Lee Rosevere - Sad marimba planet http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_02_Sad_Marimba_Planet Komiku - Ambiant wait http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_16_Ambiant_Wait Demoiselle Döner - La descente by http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Demoiselle_Dner/Dcapitation_de_lHydre_Alpha/Demoiselle_Dner_-_Dcapitation_de_lHydre_Alpha_-_03_La_descente Komiku - Action discovery http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_12_Action_Discovery Juanitos - Hola hola Bossa Nova http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Juanitos/netBloc_Vol_24_tiuqottigeloot/Hola_Hola_Bossa_Nova

When older adults learn another language, they don’t have the advantages of toddlers, whose minds are wired to learn two or three languages simultaneously. Nor do they have the flexibility of young adults who can acquire a native sounding accent. But this episode tells the story of adults who deploy the abilities that come with age and experience, that not only make them effective language learners, but also agents of some great blessings to others. This episode was written by Steve Leveen, and our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our magical sound design and mixing). Check out the rest of our team at America the Bilingual dot com, including associate producer, and French teacher, Beckie Rankin, our brand and editorial director Mim Harrison, editorial consultant Maja Thomas, design director, Carlos Plaza and last and least, our bark-lingual mascot, Chet--A.K.A., Chetley von Mutt. Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License by: Kevin Macleod — Quasi Motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion Francisco Penilla — Chicle Bombita https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita Lee Rosevere - Sad marimba planet http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_02_Sad_Marimba_Planet Lee Rosevere - More on that later http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later Lee Rosevere - Keeping stuff together http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_11_Keeping_Stuff_Together Komiku - In the restaurant http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/THE_GIRL_WITH_THE_BASEBALL_BAT/Komiku_-_THE_GIRL_WITH_THE_BASEBALL_BAT_-_03_In_the_restaurant Fernando Air-nandez - No es un corrido Loyalty Freak Music - People are spinning http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Loyalty_Freak_Music/TO_CHILL_AND_STAY_AWAKE/Loyalty_Freak_Music_-_TO_CHILL_AND_STAY_AWAKE_-_06_People_are_spinning Nctrnm - In media res http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Nctrnm/In_Medias_Res_-_Single/In_Medias_Res

He was rich, persuasive--and wrong. But Ron Unz succeeded in leading our most populous state down a dark path in the history of world language education. Yet his very success planted the seeds of change that are yielding a harvest of good in the nation today. Hear the origin story of the Seal of Biliteracy, which began in California and is now transforming America. America the Bilingual is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This episode was written by me, Steve Leveen, our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our sound design and mixing) and our associate producer, Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Editorial consultant is Maja Thomas. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio. Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution License by (In order of appearance): Jorge Mario Zuleta - Intro http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jorge_Mario_Zuleta/Fauxette/Intro_1982 Komiky - Action Discovery http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_12_Action_Discovery Kevin MacLeod - Quasi Motion http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion Lee Rosevere - More on that later http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later Lee Rosevere - Sad marimba planet http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_02_Sad_Marimba_Planet Jorge Mario Zuleta - Temporal http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jorge_Mario_Zuleta/Fauxette/Temporal Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita Lee Rosevere - Keeping stuff together http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_11_Keeping_Stuff_Together Lee Rosevere - New day http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_04_New_Day